New Year holidaymakers still returning to Bangkok in droves

[webfact]

 

Mo Chit bus terminal and Don Mueang airport are still packed with people returning to Bangkok after their long New Year break, despite the fact that today is the first working day of the year.

 

Traffic is light on most streets in Bangkok, as many people have not yet returned to report to work.

 

A bus passenger told a Thai PBS reporter at Mor Chit bus terminal that he left Phetchabun at 10pm last night and arrived in Bangkok at dawn, adding that he will return to work on Thursday.

 

Many returning passengers were, however, stranded at the bus terminal for hours due to the shortage of taxies, because many cabbies had also returned home during the New Year break.

 

Full story: Thai PBS 2024-01-02

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

[realfunster]

It was a very pleasant drive to work today, I'd say about 20% of the usual traffic.

There's no need for everyone to rush back to Bangkok, please take a few extra days off with your family and come back to work next Monday 

[KhunBENQ]

53 minutes ago, realfunster said:

please take a few extra days off with your family and come back to work next Monday

And you won't be affected by the lack of cheap labor?

Clean the office on your own?

Edited January 2 by KhunBENQ

[bkk6060]

Just adding to their debt.

My experience is things are generally crowded/increased traffic until after Valentines day.

Edited January 2 by bkk6060

[expat_4_life]

Part of the reason people are still arriving back in Bangkok is that the holidays were announced/changed in late October.

Many people already had travel plans extending through the 2nd or 3rd of January and had no real choice but to keep them.

Seems odd to us that they would change the official dates as late as October,
I guess this is why we sometimes say TIT

Edited January 2 by expat_4_life

[hotchilli]

18 hours ago, webfact said:

A bus passenger told a Thai PBS reporter at Mor Chit bus terminal that he left Phetchabun at 10pm last night and arrived in Bangkok at dawn, adding that he will return to work on Thursday.

Hope he put in his holiday slip and got approval

[brianthainess]

11 hours ago, expat_4_life said:

Part of the reason people are still arriving back in Bangkok is that the holidays were announced/changed in late October.

Agree I got confused as my calendar from PEA says the 3rd was a holiday.               I'm still confused though 

Edited January 3 by brianthainess

[brianthainess]

2 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Hope he put in his holiday slip and got approval

I wonder how many more did that and jumped straight into driving a bus again. 😱💤

[KhunLA]

Traffic yesterday on hwy #4 as very heavy. I forgot they had 1 holiday over the weekend.  Didn't realize that many folks drove that much further south of Hua Hin for a long weekend. 

 

Probably Ban Krut, Thung Wua Laen beaches, or over to Samui.   Phuket is too easy to fly to.  Highlights how much they don't care for Chonburi & eastward beaches, or just been there, done that mode.  I can relate